Gateway Is A Bust

[Ron W Schinners C.D. The People's Choice for Mayor]

Art Vandelay,Just Me  "OK  some  of you do not want a RV Park or a Park on this Gateway site.Then what do you suggest  this land  be used for?"

That was the last  question asked.  Let us all hear what you two think should be built on this site.I  gave a few suggestions neither of which you liked.Time to  hear  your suggestions.

[Craig Huckerby]

Okay, here's one more kick at the can...after having a helicopter ride yesterday, I'm convinced we need a unique type of observation tower. Here's my idea - build an observation tower in a shape of a Glacier, about 300 feet high. It could look like a slender glacier. As you probably know, it was glaciers retreating that formed the great lakes - the whole attraction could be about the glaciers and how they transformed the land -a t the same time allow for a breath taking view of the area from 30 storeys high. I wish I had time to draw up an example but you have to use your own imagination.  It could be called the Ice Tower with a restaurant on top and some educational elements added to it...just a thought...

[SSMP]

Or we could build a statue of Phil Garforth 300 ft high, with a observation tower.
We could call it the Ice Hole.

Sorry Craig, couldn't resist.

[Craig Huckerby]

he'll sure the city again for copyright infringement 

[Fred Bear]

I prefer this idea to the others, particularly the restaurant idea.  I don't understand how moving the train station a couple of hundred yards closer to the Casino will benefit the residents of the Sault.  Gamblers will make their way to the Casino at any cost, especially if they have just travelled a great distance from home to come here.  Past studies on our Casino has proved that the vast majority of the people who frequent it are locals.  Why not work with what we already have, perhaps build a nice covered walkway to the Casino, and come up with something totally different for the Gateway site.

[Javaman]

We were promised.years ago, a permanent casino. Why not use  the Gateway site for a new casino? Then build a new hotel on the old casino site.

[Craig Huckerby]

The OLG was to build it - then changed their mind when the casino didn't draw the number of people it was hoping for....I can't see the OLG wanting to build a new casino here anytime soon.

[Fred Bear]

It's impossible to blame OLG for not building a "Brick and Mortar" Casino when there is a top notch Casino to contend with 20 minutes away in Sault Michigan.  Once again our focus is being diverted away from the main topic which is the Gateway site, and not the train station, or the Casino.  I think we should start with a completely fresh and new idea, and one that will compliment the Casino and the Train Station.  Simply put, moving the train station makes no sense to me, wouldn't it be more beneficial to the merchants in the Station Mall to leave the Station where it sits?  Lets face it, if I'm a tourist and I want to experience the Agawa tour Train, than I'm in it for the train, and the sites along the ride, not the Station.  Also, if I want to gamble, than I'm going to hit the Casino, and the last thing on my mind would be the distance between the train station and the Casino.  Unless of course I were a mathematician/gambler with a slight touch of OCD, in which case I'd be super interested!

[Art Vandelay]

why not something like an indoor / outdoor marketplace.. a permanent place for the local farmers market to operate all year long indoor or out.. small booths that can be rented out to sell merchandise.. doesn't have to be anything big either.

[sulley's mom]

I like arts idea, but i also like the idea of turning it into some sort of parking area...everyone complains about downtown parking anyway

[Fred Bear]

No offense Art, but the time I checked we live in Northern Ontario, and not much grows around these parts this time of year except for the snow banks in my yard, and my blood pressure.  What are the farmers going to sell during the winter aside from some preservatives that will no doubt expire in my cantina.  However this is the kind mediocrity citizens of the Sault have grown accustomed to.  If I'm a tourist in the city I'm not going to be interested in doing my own cooking so you can bet I will be driving right by the Farmers market.  No offense to the farmers, I shop at the market, and have no problems with the local, it serves its purpose.  Much like the train station serves its purpose, so why spend a ton of money to fix something that isn't even broken?

[pepper]

The last time I checked Art we live in Northern Ontario, and not much grows around these parts this time of year except for the snow banks in my yard, and my blood pressure.  What are the farmers going to sell during the winter aside from some preservatives that will no doubt expire in my cantina.  However this is the kind mediocrity citizens of the Sault have grown accustomed to.  If I'm a tourist in the city I'm not going to be interested in doing my own cooking so you can bet I will be driving right by the Farmers market.  No offense to the farmers, I shop at the market, and have no problems with the local, it serves its purpose.  Much like the train station serves its purpose, so why spend a ton of money to fix something that isn't even broken?

Well spoken fred who in there right mind would set up a farmers market in the winter months would not work up here.

[pepper]

why not something like an indoor / outdoor marketplace.. a permanent place for the local farmers market to operate all year long indoor or out.. small booths that can be rented out to sell merchandise.. doesn't have to be anything big either.

ya the strawberry should ready anytime now. lol.

[Ward1Executive]

Tourism is largely about shopping.

With the exception of an All Inclusive resort, I have never heard of been on a trip where people didn't want to go shopping. It's no secret that we have 0 to offer compared to other cities.

My family has to take 2 trips a year for school clothes alone.

A tourist attraction at this site would be very costly and frankly, I don't believe it will ever happen. Why? No one will front the money. I mean real money, not the Garforth type of money.

You go to Detroit (nothing real to offer except sports and concerts) but they have a HUGE shopping area near Auborn Hills. Birchrun ?? Enough said what the attraction is there. Traverse City? Great beach front hotels, and a huge waterpark. And what else? SHOPPING.

Honestly, I would not want to be sitting in a restaurant overlooking Essar and St. Mary's. Not the view you wish for while on a vacation.

This is a Northern Ontario community, what about a Cabela's?

[Cowboy Ron]

Why don't they put sumpin' there that would get used day in day out, by locals and them turists:

A LEASH FREE DOG PARK.

Right now I figger we must be the only city in North America that ain't got even one o them leash free parks fer our furry friends.  Some cities way smaller n' us got even more than one.